Sofia Levin

What would you do if we told you it's possible to make a giant pancake in a rice cooker? You'd immediately fill it with two to three cups of pancake mix, push the start button, cook it for about 45 minutes to an hour (restarting the appliance as needed) and then – once it puffs up and a skewer emerges clean from the centre – turn the brunch miracle on to a plate and slather it with whipped cream, maple syrup and berries. More at iamafoodblog.com.

Bacon mac daddy from Cuckoo Callay.Photo: Nikki To

We're eating… BACON MAC DADDY

The best hangover cure in Sydney is a hangover itself; a remnant of Cuckoo Callay's bacon festival earlier this year. Their bacon mac daddy turn heads as it's placed on tables; a flaky croissant overflowing with macaroni cheese, smoked bacon, a 63-degree poached egg and tomato relish that's somehow as rejuvenating as it is artery-clogging. cuckoo-callay.com.au

Om Nom Kitchen and Dessert Bar's new cocktail menu may not be as straightforward as chugging a beer or savouring a negroni, but it's a helluva lot more fun. Martinis are garnished with marshmallows while bloody marys arrive in porthole-shaped glassware. Don't be surprised if your tipple comes in a nitro-charged teapot, vaporised, deconstructed, smoking or foaming. omnom.kitchen

At ChocoLab, no one will stop you from putting sour gummy worms on your chocolate. Photo: Supplied

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Chocoholics, it's time to stop searching for the perfect bar and start designing it yourself. At ChocoLAB online, pick white, milk or dark Belgian chocolate then add up to five ingredients. We opted for dark chocolate and mixed in sea salt, dark "crispearls", toasted coconut chips, whole hazelnuts and caramel popcorn – because we can. chocolab.com.au

Beekeepa reusable wraps. Photo: Supplied

We're obsessed with… BEEKEEPA REUSABLE WRAPS

Next time you reach the reminder sticker towards the end of your cling wrap, don't replace it – there's an environmentally sustainable alternative. BeeKeepa has infused organic cotton cloths with beeswax and jojoba oil, and they're great for leftovers, herbs and lunchboxes. Use them up to 100 times and chuck them in the compost at the end of their life cycle. From $12, beekeepa.com.au.

Black garlic. Photo: Supplied

We're cooking with… BLACK GARLIC

Ferment purple garlic in an oven for a month and the result is complex, delicious and charcoal-black. Don't attempt this at home; buy black garlic instead. You'll notice it lacks the severity of regular garlic and has a sweet, caramel flavour with hints of balsamic. Add it to cheese platters, pastas and salads, or spread it on crusty white bread for a savoury treat. See tasmanianblackgarlic.com.au for stockists.

Bo ssam bang with pork belly ssamjang kim chi. Photo: Supplied

We're loving… GALLERY-THEMED MENUS

Nothing works up an appetite like visiting a gallery, but thanks to some innovative menus, you can stick to the subject when sitting down for a bite. In Melbourne, the Tea Room at the National Gallery of Victoria offers a high tea inspired by the Degas: A New Vision exhibition (until September 18), while the cafe at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art Australia has introduced a playful Korean menu to accompany New Romance: art and the post human, which features Korean and Australian artists (until September 4).

MonGrillion cricket flour is used for these cupcakes. Photo: MAELLE SALIOU

We're backing… CRICKET CUPCAKES

Eating insects is the way of the future, but if crunching down on creepy crawlies bugs you, try them in cake form. MonGrillion – a Parisian catering start-up offering cupcakes and "cubecakes" made from ground cricket flour – reached their Kickstarter target late last night. Fun fact: crickets contain 63 per cent protein and release 99 per cent less greenhouse gases than bovine farming. mongrillon.com